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OPENING OF INDIAN RESERVATIONS. 



Department of the Interior, 

General Land Office, 
Washington, D. 67., August 3, 1910. 

The Indian reservations mentioned below, except as otherwise indi- 
cated, are to be opened by proclamation of the President at some 
future date as soon as the necessary preliminary work is completed. 
The proclamations will prescribe the time when and the manner in 
which the lands shall be settled upon, occupied, and entered. It is 
probable that such of these lands as are opened by proclamation will 
be opened by some form of registration and drawing, but whether it 
will be similar to that heretofore adopted has not yet been deter- 
mined. The laws in regard to the different reservations provide for 
a classification of the lands after survey, with a view to determining 
their character, such as agricultural or irrigable, grazing, timber, 
mineral, or arid lands, and for their appraisal, and the allotment of 
portions thereof to the Indians. The locating of Indian allotments 
and classification and appraisal of the remaining lands are under the 
supervision of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. This office can 
not furnish any information as to the quality of the lands in any of 
the reservations or any information other Ufean what is given in this 
circular; maps of the reservations can not be furnished. 

Provision is made in the laws opening the Blackfeet, Cheyenne 
River, and Standing Rock, Coeur d'Alene, Fort Peck, Colville, and 
Yakima reservations; that one-fifth of the purchase price shall be 
paid in cash at the time of entry and the balance in five equal annual 
installments in one, two, three, four, and five years, respectively, 
from and after the date of entry. One-third of the price is re- 
quired to be paid at the time of entry for lands in the Flathead 
Reservation. In the laws opening the Fort Berthold, the Pine Ridge 
(Bennett County) , and Rosebud (Mellette and Washabaugh counties) , 
one-fifth of the appraised price is required to be paid at the time of 
entry and the balance in six equal annual installments. 

The acts opening the reservations usually prescribe that the rights 
of honorably discharged Union soldiers and sailors of the late civil 
and Spanish wars or Philippine insurrection, as defined and de- 
scribed in sections 2304 and 2305, United States Revised Statutes, as 
amended by the act of March 1, 1901 (31 Stat., 847), shall not be 
abridged. * 

The following shows the laws applicable to the different reserva- 
tions and the status of the preliminary work: 

57095—10 1 

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BLACKFEET, MONTANA. 

About 500,000 acres are to be opened pursuant to the act of March 
1, 1907 (34 Stat. L., 1035), under the general provisions of the home- 
stead, mineral, and town site laws, and of the reclamation act where 
irrigation projects are deemed practicable. Agricultural lands are 
to be disposed of at the appraised price, mineral and coal lands at 
the prices fixed in the mineral and coal land laws, and timber lands 
are to be sold by sealed bids at not less than $5 per acre. The lands 
are all surveyed. Allotments are being made to Indians, and it is 
hoped to finish the work the present allotting season, the remaining 
lands are to be classified and appraised, and withdrawals for rec- 
lamation made. The opening may take place in 1911. Present dis- 
trict land office — Helena, Mont. 

CHEYENNE AND ARAPAHOE, OKLAHOMA. 

In accordance with the provisions of the act of Congress of June 
IT, 1910 (Public, No. 215), there will be a sale at public auction at 
El Reno, Okla., on November 15, 1910, of 10,576 acres, part of the 
Cheyenne and Arapahoe Indian reservation, situated near the city 
of El Reno, Okla. The land will be sold in 80-acre tracts, and no 
person will be permitted to purchase more than one tract. The pur- 
chaser will be required to make homestead entry of the land and to 
comply with the homestead law in the matter of residence and culti- 
vation. A minimum price of $5 per acre is fixed by law, one-fifth 
to be paid at the time the bid is accepted, and the balance in six 
equal annual installments. Maps showing the tracts to be sold may 
be obtained for 25 cents each from the register and receiver, United 
States land office, El Reno, Okla., after October 1, 1910. 

CHEYENNE RIVER AND STANDING ROCK, SOUTH DAKOTA AND 

NORTH DAKOTA. 

A drawing for the lands in this reservation was held in October 
last, and 2,122 of the first 8,000 persons whose numbers were called 
during the months of May and June last entered about 350,000 acres, 
leaving about 1,500,000 acres to be entered by persons holding the 
numbers from 8,000 to 20,000. These persons have been notified to 
appear at the map room in Aberdeen, S. Dak., at a certain day and 
hour and make selection of the tract they desire to enter. After No- 
vember 1 next all lands not entered or filed on will become subject to 
both settlement and entry by any qualified entryman. The lands 
are disposed of under the act of May 29, 1908 (35 Stat. L., 460), 
which provides for the reservation of coal lands pending legislation 
by Congress and for the disposal of the remainder after classification 
under the general provisions of the homestead and town-site laws, 
the price of the homestead lands to be fixed by appraisement. Dis- 
trict land offices— Aberden and Lemmon, S. Dak. 

CHIPPEWA, MINNESOTA. 

The ceded lands are classified as pine ahd agricultural, under the 
act of January 14, 1889 (25 Stat., 642). The lands classified as 
agricultural, except such as are allotted to Indians or reserved for 



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any purpose, have already been opened. The timber on the pine 
lands is sold under the act of June 27, 1902 (32 Stat., 400), and after 
the timber is removed therefrom the land is opened to entry under 
section 6 of said act of January 14, 1889. Circulars of these lands 
are printed about once a year, giving lists of these " cut-over " lands 
opened to entry. District land offices — Cass Lake, Crookston, and 
Dulnth, Minn. " 

COEUR D'ALENE, IDAHO. 

A drawing for these lands was held in August, 1909, and of the 
first 1,500 persons holding numbers at such drawing, 623 made entry. 
There remains tibout 100,000 acres subject to filing by persons holding 
numbers above 1.500. They have been notified to appear at a certain 
time and make entry. Any lands remaining unentered on November 
1 will be subject to settlement and entry by any qualified applicant. 
The lands have been classified into agricultural, grazing, and timber 
lands, all of which are subject to entry under the homestead laws at 
their appraised value, as provided in the act of June 21, 1906 (34 
Stat., 335), which also extends the general mining laws to the un- 
allotted lands, and reserves as the property of the United States all 
coal or oil lands. District land office — Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. 

COLORADO RIVER, ARIZONA. 

The irrigation of these lands is authorized by act of April 21, 1904 
(33 Stat. L., 224), but only preliminary work has been done thus far. 
The lands are not surveyed and the allotments have not yet been 
started. No information can now be given as to when the lands will 
be opened. 

C0LVILLE, WASHINGTON. 

Embraces about 1,000,000 acres in the diminished reservation, or 
south half of the former Colville Reservation, to be opened pursuant 
to the act of March 22, 1906 (34 Stat. L., 80), to settlement and 
entry under the provisions of the homestead law at not less than the 
appraised price ; timber lands are to be sold under sealed bids to the 
highest bidder for cash or at public auction, the lands classified as 
mineral lands are to be disposed of under the general mining laws; 
authority is also given for the disposing of lands under the reclama- 
tion act if feasible. The surveying is completed and the allotting 
of lands to the Indians is in progress. The classification and ap- 
praisal is yet to be done. The lands will probably not be opened 
until 1912. District land offices — Waterville and Spokane, Wash. 

FLATHEAD, MONTANA. 

A drawing for these lands took place in July and August, 1909, 
and persons holding the first 3,000 numbers drawn were allowed to 
make entry beginning May 2 last. Notice has been sent to persons 
holding higher numbers of their right to make entry on a certain day 
and hour, and all lands not entered on November 1 will be subject 
to settlement and entry by any qualified person. The lands are 
disposed of under the general provisions of the homestead, mineral, 
and town-site laws, settlers to pay the appraised price for the land; 



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mineral lands are to be disposed of under the mineral laws of the 
United States; and timber on timber lands is to be disposed of to 
the highest bidder for cash, under sealed bids or at public auction, 
the lands after the removal of the timber to be disposed of sepa- 
rately. Reclamation is extended to this reservation by act of May 29, 
1908 (35 Stat. L., 448), and a large number of the tracts are included 
in farm units. District land offices — Kalispell and Missoula, Mont. 

FORT BERTHOLD, NORTH DAKOTA. 

The act of June 1, 1910 (Public, No. 197), provides for the dis- 
posal of that part of this reservation lying north and east of the 
Missouri River, except lands allotted to Indians, reserved for power 
sites, reservoir sites, etc., under the provisions of the homestead, 
mineral, and town-site laws of the United States, the price of agri- 
cultural land to be the appraised value thereof. Mineral and timber 
lands are not to be appraised. Commutation of homestead entries is 
permitted. All timber lands are to be set aside and reserved as a 
tribal forest reserve for the use of the Indians. The survey of a 
portion of these lands has been executed, and the survey of the entire 
reservation will in all probability be completed next year. The 
allotting of lands to the Indians has been started. The opening may 
take place in 1911. Present district land offices — Bismarck, Dickin- 
son, Minot, and Williston, N. Dak. 

FORT HALL, MONTANA. 

Allotments are to be made to Indians, but legislation will be neces- 
sary before the surplus lands can be opened. 

FORT PECK, MONTANA. 

Estimated to contain 1,776,000 acres; the act of May 30, 1908 (35 
Stat. L., 558), provides for allotments of lands to the Indians, and 
for the disposal of the remaining lands under the general provisions 
of the homestead, desert-land, mineral, and town-site laws; a part 
of the lands may also be disposed of under the irrigation act. Set- 
tlers will be required to pay the appraised price, not less than $1.25 
per acre. Coal and mineral lands are to be disposed of under the 
general coal and mining laws. The surveys of a large part of the 
reservation have been executed in the field, and the field work of the 
remainder will be completed this fall, after which the lands are to 
be allotted, classified, and appraised. The date of opening will 
probably be 1911. District land office — Glasgow, Mont. 

KLAMATH, OREGON. 

There is no law for opening this reservation. The act of June 21, 
1906 (34 Stat. L., 367), was passed for the purpose of compensating 
the Indians for 621,824 acres of their lands heretofore disposed of 
under an erroneous survey. Allotments are being made to the 
Indians. 



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MOdUI, ARIZONA. 

Allotments are being made to Indians under the act of March 1, 
1907 (34 Stat. L., 1021), but there has been no law passed for open- 
ing the surplus lands. 

CtUINAIELT, WASHINGTON. 

Allotments have been made to Indians, but there is no law for 
opening the surplus lands. 

H00PA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. 

This reservation is being surveyed, but there is no law for opening 
the surplus lands. 

JICARILLA, NEW MEXICO. 

Reallotments are being made under the act of March 4, 1907 (34 
Stat. L., 1413), but there is no law for opening surplus lands. 

KIOWA, COMANCHE, AND APACHE, OKLAHOMA. 

The act of May 29, 1908 (35 Stat. L., 444), provides that the lands 
remaining unsold, both those offered under the act of June 5, 1906 
(34 Stat. L., 213), and those opened under the act of June 6, 1900 
(31 Stat. L., 672), shall be sold under the said act of June 5, 1906, 
to the highest bidder at not less than $1 per acre, and purchasers are 
permitted to make cash payment in full and secure title without 
the necessity of actually settling on the land. Before the offering, 
the unentered lands in the pasture reserves are to be allotted pro rata 
to each child of Indian parentage born since June 5, 1906, in accord- 
ance with the act of June 25, 1910 (Public, No. 313). It is probable 
that these allotments will exhaust the unappropriated lands in the 
pasture reserves; but that there are some tracts in that part of the 
reservation opened in 1901 under said act of June 6, 1900, and in the 
wood reserve, which will be sold at some time in the future, the date 
of which will be announced later. Land office — Lawton, Okla. 

PINE RIDGE, BENNETT COUNTY, SOUTH DAKOTA. 

Under the act of May 27, 1910 (Public, No. 191), unallotted and 
unreserved lands in that part of the reservation situated in Bennett 
County, S. Dak., are to be disposed of under the general provisions 
of the homestead and town-site laws at an appraised price, except 
that mineral and timber lands are not to be appraised, and the timber 
land is to be reserved for the use of the Pine Ridge Indians. The 
surveys are completed, and it is expected that the allotment work 
in the portion of the reservation to be opened will be completed by 
September 30 next, after which the remaining lands will be classified 
and appraised. It is expected that the opening will take place in 
.1911. District land offices — Chamberlain and Rapid City, S. Dak. 



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ROSEBUD, MELLETTE, AND WASHABAUGH , COUNTIES, SOUTH 

DAKOTA. 

The act of May 30, 1910 (Public, No. 194), provides for the allot- 
ment of lands to the Indians, for the classification and appraisal of 
the surplus lands, and for their disposal under the general provisions 
of the homestead and town-site laws, settlers to pay the appraised 
price. Timber and mineral lands are not to be appraised, and the 
timber lands shall be reserved for the use of the Rosebud Indians. 
There are about 800,000 acres included in the tract described in the 
act, from which area allotments and reservations are to be deducted. 
The lands have all been surveyed, and allotment work will be com- 
pleted this fall. The opening will probably take place in 1911. Dis- 
trict land office — Chamberlain, S. Dak. 

SILETZ RESERVATION, OREGON. 

The act of May 13, 1910 (Public, No. 175), provided for the sale 
at public auction of the lands, 3,279.29 acres, reserved under the pro- 
visions of article 4 of the agreement concluded with the Siletz Indians 
October 31, 1892, ratified by act of Congress approved August 15, 
1894 (28 Stat., 325). Certain lands are also to be subdivided and 
sold as town lots. 

UINTAH, UTAH. 

The unreserved lands which remain unentered on August 28, 1910, 
will be sold at public auction on November 1, 1910, at the city of 
Provo, Utah, and thereafter in tracts approximating 160 acres each, 
and no person can purchase more than 640 acres. 

YAKIMA, WASHINGTON. 

The act of December 21, 1904 (33 Stat., 595), provided for the 
opening of this reservation, which embraces 1,145,000 acres, under 
the homestead and mineral laws, except timber lands, which are to 
be sold under sealed bids, settlers to pay the appraised price, and 
mineral claimants to also pay the appraised price, which shall not be 
less than the price fixed in the mining laws. Withdrawals under the 
reclamation act have been made pursuant to the act of March 6, 1906 
(34 Stat. L., 53), for the Wapato project. The surveys are com- 
pleted, and the allotment work is finished, except as to about 400 
additional allotments provided for by the act of May 6, 1910 (Public, 
No. 160), which are being made now. The classification and 
appraisement of the remaining lands is nearly completed. It is 
reported that all the lands which can be irrigated have been or prob- 
ably will be allotted to the Indians, and that the lands which will be 
left for entry under the homestead laws are arid in character, and 
can not be successfully cultivated without irrigation, and are suitable 
for grazing purposes only. In view of this fact it is probable the 
unallotted lands in the reservation will not be opened under the 
registration plan heretofore followed in opening Indian lands, but 
will probably be declared subject to settlement and entry under the 

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general provisions of the homestead laws early next spring without 
registration. District land offices — North Yakima and Vancouver, 
Wash. 

YUMA, ARIZONA AND CALIFORNIA. 

The act of April 21, 1904 (33 Stat., 221), section 21, authorizes the 
opening of lands under the reclamation act. A portion of the reser- 
vation has already been opened under the reclamation act. 

S. V. Proudfit, 

Acting Commissioner. 



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